The sanctuary was rocking tonight. We are hosting a mission team from Christ United Methodist Church in Rockford, Il. 99 strong - youth and adults - and they know how to travel in mission. Usually with a group like this you will find a youth pastor, a few adults and little else from home. But this group brought a church - complete with pastor, music director and band, AV system (video and sound) and all any group would need to be in service to God and the community.
The Rev and I really enjoyed being in worship with them tonight. They go out during the day and work hard rebuilding our community and at night they gather in the sanctuary to worship. The worship service was full of energy and great music. We sang, we danced in the aisles, we prayed and we rejoiced in the community of faith. The message tonight centered around the south African philosophy of ubuntu - I am because we are. The pastor did an excellent job of sharing this message of the importance of the interconnected community with her western audience that has been raised on individualism. I thought this message was especially suited to a group who has interrupted their lives to travel to another state to do the dirty work of reconstruction.
Kudos to this group from Illinois. You brought an energy and life to that old sanctuary the likes of which it has not hosted in a long time.
Peace
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